Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-06-11
The TRAMP DETECTIVE.
BY HENRY DALE.

81 say. Miss, can't ye gin a pore Teller a
bite to eat2 I'm cen amost starved"
It was a ragged. dust covered tramp who
thus accosted Olivia Shortridge as she
stood with arms folded by the kitchen
table. The fellow had entered the door
and stood in the middle Of the room before
she perceived him.
He was a savage-looking fellow, his un-
combed locks plainly TO be seen beneath
his battered hat, and his rough beard seem
ingly wholly unacquainted with soap or
razor, while his eyes glared with hungry
ferOcity-
ANY other girl would have moaned at
sight Of the tramp, but Olivia was brave as
she was pretty and kind. Her large blue
eyes scanned the man for a moment, and
she perceived that he was really suffering
with hunger, whatever his faults might be.
The farm at Cedar Crest was one Of the
finest in the country, and the great old
farmhouse was well supplied with food;
then why should she refuse this poor, suf-
fering man a morsel.
Il swar, Miss, 1 amt had bite to eat to-
day" said the tramp, in a. tone half pa
thetlc and half savage with nothing of the
professional whine OF beggar-
@Could you get nothing to eat2" sEe
asked, her blue eyes beaming more sympa-
thetic.
NO, couldn't; I swar it"
@Then il shall never be said that any one
house." said Olivia, and she quickly set
before the tramp provisions that were a
feast to him.
He ate ravenously, and the food had al
most entirely disappeared when he rose
from the table, and dOnned his dilapidated
hat, which he had tucked under the table
before sitting down.
take what is left-yOu may need it be-
fore you get more, said Olivia.
God bless ye, gal, said the tramp, as
he crammed the biscuit into his capaciOus
pockets. @Ye've got heart in ye, which I
wish all other people had, then they
wouldn't make SIGH devils out o US as they
do. I'm q bad man, 1 know it, but they
made me what ! am. Til the strike came
i he'd work, but now I'm out on the road,
an dun know where next bites to come
from"
Having taken AL the remaining provis-
ions that had been set before him, the
tramp left the house after once more thank
ing the farmers pretty daughter for her
kindness and generosity.
AS Olivia stood In the doorway, the rays
OF the setting sun falling upon her golden
hair, and watched the tramp 90 down the
road. that individual turned about and
gazed once moro at the pretty girl. Some
noble thoughts were in the heart of that
reckless Yagabond, and, as he Gudged on,
he muttsred to himself:
people amt all bad-no use to say they
ar I amt mistaken nuther, when 1 say
that that gals angel"
bis soliloquy was in an undertone, and
he was at too great q distance from the girl
to be heard by her.
Il wonder what time father will come
home, said the pretty girl as she stood
gazing down the great road.
"Olivia, called her mother from another
apartment, who was in the kitchen mo-
ment ago2"
A hungry man, mother"
a. trampf"
yes, mother"
aid you give him something to eat?"
"Of course, mother; 1 couldn't have any
one go away hungry"
@That is right In the abstract I reckin,
my child, but it pears to me We have a
great many tramps comm around the coun-
Try now"
II wish father would come home" the
pretty girl sighed, in a tone loud enough to
be heard by her mother.
@Oh, he wont be back until late. Mr..
Long is going to pay OF the mortgage on
his place, and your father said it might be
late before he got back.
AThat is the reason / am anxious about
father now" said Olivia 10 herself.
Father will bring the money home with
him to take to the bank at Carthage to-
morrow, for there is no bank at the village,
and do not like having him travel about
the country with so much mOney-espe-
cially after night"
Ths elatter Of hoofs came from down
the road, and the eyes Of the beautiful girl
frightened as young man. mounted on a
dark bay horse, galloped into view.
Its Harry" she cried, and fastened
around to the front gate Just as Harry drew
up.
There was an eager sparkle in the eyes
Of the youthful hOrseman ana pretty maj
den, which would convince any one at once
that they were lovers.
"Olivia, met the Understanding tramp
a few moments ago." said Harry as he
sprang from the saddle to talk moment TO
his sweetheart at the gate, @that ever met
in my life"
sHe was here"
@He was? Did he not scare you almost
to death?"
him his dinner.
"You did, Why the rascal might cone
and burn the house down"
zHe would be very ungrateful if he did
Have you been to the village Harry
@Yes."
Did YOU see father thereP"
-Yes; what is he dOing2"
@Mr. Long is 70 pay on his mortgage
to-day"
large, dark gray eyes on the pretty girl s
face.
After few moments more Harry mount
ed his horse and started up the road toward
his fathers farm, and his betrOthed went
into the house.
In the mean while, Tom Trudge, the
tramp was slowly vending his way along
the wooded road, keeping a sharp lookout
about him for a comfortable place where
he could pass the night The sun had
gone down before he came to the great
bridge which SPAWNED Sherry Greek; and
by the time he had reached the dark cut
that ran between the hills On the other
side 1t vas quite dark.
-He's goin' to come this way" the tramp
suddenly heard somebody say.
de stopped and listened. There came
sounds OF human voices at no great dis
lance away. Habitually cautious, the
tramp crept forward until he was within a
Few 1eet of where the conversation was
going on.
BE saw three dark forms standing under
the shadoW of a projecting rock close to the
roadside, aud there Tom Trudge Law down
among some bushes to listen.
-1tl All be right, one voice said
Hes got j. gursl'
-knOW it."
Chow much2"
@Good big haul.
Well now hoW's this thing to be Gov
Lred up. We've got 10 lay 1t on some one
A silence ensued. and then one Of the
zafn IqnFa 70.